A photocleavable ligand containing an o-nitroveratryl (oNV) linker was synthesized and used to functionalize CdSe quantum dots (QDs) to achieve liquid-liquid interface stabilization and the formation of stable water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion droplets. Ligand cleavage upon irradiation of the droplets at 365 nm led to an increase of QD hydrophilicity, and a subsequent emulsion inversion to give oil-in-water (o/w) droplets. The fluorescence of functionalized QDs, initially quenched due to the presence of the oNV group, is turned-on after irradiation and linker cleavage. Photocleavage was monitored by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and liquid-liquid interface stabilization was evaluated by interfacial tension measurements by pendant drop tensiometry. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.